James Fallows: Dear Vice President Cheney: Shut Up

[marmar]

from HuffPost:


James Fallows

Bio

02.23.2007
Dear Vice President Cheney: Shut Up (72 comments )

The Chinese military's destruction of one of China's own satellites last month was an unexpected, disruptive, and potentially very alarming event. Was the People's Liberation Army beating its chest and showing its potential? Was there confusion within China's own government -- as suggested by the several-day delay before the Foreign Ministry began answering questions about what had happened?

Was this some ill-advised reverse-backflip attempt to force the United States to reenter negotiations for a treaty banning space warfare? Was this the most ominous step the Chinese government has taken in a long time? Or the most foolish? Both? No one outside the Chinese government knows at this point, and perhaps very few people inside it.

What is clear is that the worst-positioned person to scold China about its behavior is the one who just did: Vice President Dick Cheney. In his speech yesterday in Australia, the Vice President helpfully observed that the satellite test, plus the buildup of China's military (with a budget still a tiny fraction of America's) was "not consistent with China's stated goal of a peaceful rise."

Let's assume, for argument, that China intends to convert its growing economic power into military strength. Let's assume that its strategic and territorial ambitions are at odds with America's. Let's assume that it intends to upset the international order in countless ways. Let's assume a lot of other things that I don't think are true. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-fallows/dear-vice-president-chene_b_41932.html

[zanne]

1. True words.

The problem is, dictators don't care about editorials, or elections, or poll numbers. They don't have to care. I think it's obvious that the Bush administration sees itself as all-powerful and they do as they please.